Forty-five years ago, the newspapers looked a lot different than they do today.

For instance, there were no photographs in color. They were all black and white and very few of even those. Of course, that was in the day of processing our own photographs.

When I first began working at the newspaper, the editor at the time, asked me if I wanted to learn out to do it. I, of course, am always open to anything new. I jumped at the opportunity and soon I was cutting my own strip of negative and beginning to use the dark room to develop the film.

Just as I thought I might have the hang of it, we switched to digital cameras. I must admit, it is a lot easier, but I do wish I had lasted a little bit longer in the dark room. And by the way, it was very dark in there. Today, that same little room has been turned into a storage area.

In late May of 1971, a robbery victim was treated at Greenlawn Hospital for severe burns to his face, mouth and throat. The robbers forced the man to stick his finger into a jar of “Red Devil” lye. Then he was forced to put that finger in his mouth causing the burns. Three men have been arrested and turned over to the Escambia County Detention Center.

It is just unbelievable what people will do to each other.

Some good sales bargains caught my eye in The Atmore Advance. Goodyear had a set of four trays and a stand for only $2.99. Now these would be what we called “TV trays” back in the olden days. They came out after almost everyone had a television. That was also the beginning of the end for the family dinner table. Who wants to sit at the table and eat with their families when they can sit in front of the television set and eat off a nice tray?

County deputies were back on duty after a couple of incidents with VISTA workers. One worker was later fired from his job because he failed to follow orders and not come back to Atmore.

The city was getting ready for “Super Sales Day.” Bargains were all over the place. One could buy a mattress and box spring at Gordon’s for $69.95 and Staff Chevrolet had a grease job for only $1.

Two bandits robbed the Northside Branch of The Bank of Brewton. Tellers inside the bank were forced into the bank vault and one teller was threatened with a gun.

The city awarded a contract for a new fire station to be located at the corner of Pensacola Avenue and Craig Street. Construction was to get underway soon.